INLAND EMPIRE – (INT) – Residents of Riverside and San Bernardino counties are in debt and a lot of it, according to new data from Experian, a credit reporting agency.

NerdWallet looked at credit scores, mortgages and other data on debt and spending to identify the cities where people are in the best financial shape. Riverside and San Bernardino rank at the bottom of a 265 city study.

The average credit score was 620 with a credit card debt of $4,145.

Nearly 16 percent of Riverside homeowners had more than one mortgage.

In San Bernardino, 47 percent of homeowners’ median household income goes toward their mortgage and other housing costs, making it more difficult to stay in good financial shape. In Riverside, it’s 40 percent.

Only two California cities were in the top 100 with residents having the most viable finances. Those were San Jose and Palm Springs.

Many Midwest cities took the top spots on the list — likely due to strong economies paired with lower costs of living.

Story Date: July 30, 2015